On the Divine Mother: A Mystery and A Prophecy
Transition and Transformation
Our mental species has stepped into a clearing, to use the metaphor of phenomenology, parallel perhaps to the one into which our primate ancestors stepped more than a million years ago. And perhaps a similar social and ecological crisis prevailed then, accompanied by an overwhelming inner urge among the avant garde to survive and transcend. We might also conjecture, however, that the conditions under which we have been forced into the clearing today are unique, precipitated perhaps by the brilliant deconstructions of post-modern philosophy and by the perilous moments of economic and political crisis that contemporary humanity has created, as it vacillates between the suprarational and irrational, under the stress of an intricately interdependent world-wide physical, social, and ecological fabric stretched to the tearing point.
We might also point to the extraordinary probability that our industrial, technological age and global civilization have reached their terminus, following two-hundred and fifty years of Rationalism, two major world-wars, numerous lesser wars, nationalism, internationalism, economic globalization, and a population explosion that has overburdened the planet's natural resource base. It seems most likely that it is all of these developments along the arc of human progress combined, with their underpinnings of human ignorance, greed, and lust for power, which have placed us emphatically before the definitive choice that we must now boldly confront, between two imminent possibilities: a profounder, truer, more luminous future, or self-destruction and chaos.
As the Mother put it in a message in 1967 or 1968, - when we were in the midst of one of the more significant lesser wars of the Twentieth Century, and she was on the threshold of the mystery and prophecy that were the issue of her life, - with her characteristic irony and simplicity, "Men, countries, continents, the choice is imperative - Truth or the Abyss?"
And then, in the course of the following year, she experienced the momentous change, which a lifetime of spiritual work had prepared her for and moved her steadily toward. Of it she said:
It was the complete Presence, absolute freedom, and a certitude: these cells, other cells (gesture here and there showing other bodies), it didn't matter, it was life everywhere, consciousness everywhere.
Absolutely wonderful.
It came effortlessly, and it left simply because… I was too busy. It doesn't come at will - what comes at will is what we might call a "copy": it looks like it, but it's not THE Thing. The thing… There is something wholly independent of our aspiration, our will, our effort… wholly independent. And this something appears to be absolutely all-powerful, in the sense that none of the body's difficulties exist. At such times, everything disappears. Aspiration, concentration, effort… no use at all. And it's the DIVINE SENSE, you understand, that's what having the divine sense means. During these few hours, I understood in an absolute way what having the divine consciousness in the body means. And then, this body, that body, that other body… it doesn't matter: it moved about from one body to another, quite free and independent, aware of the limitations or the possibilities of each body - absolutely wonderful. I had never, ever had this experience before. Absolutely wonderful. It left because I was so busy that… and it didn't leave because it had just come to show "how it is" - that's not it: it's because life and the organization of life engulf you.
I know it's there (gesture in the background). I know it is, but… But that's a transformation as I understand it! And clearly, in people it could express itself - not something vague - clearly - in this man, in that woman, in…(gesture here and there), quite clearly. And with a smile. … It is …yes, I think the only word that can describe the sensation it gives is "an Absolute" - an Absolute. That's the sensation: of being in the presence of the Absolute. The Absolute: absolute Knowledge, absolute Will, absolute Power… Nothing, nothing can resist. And then this Absolute is so merciful! But if we compare it with all that we regard as goodness, mercy… ugh! That's nothing at all. It's THE Mercy with the absolute power and… it's not Wisdom, not Knowledge, it's… It has nothing to do with our process. And That is everywhere, it's everywhere. It's the body's experience. And to that it has given itself entirely, totally, without asking anything - anything. A single aspiration, "To be capable of being that, what that wills, of serving That" - not even "serving," of BEING That.
But that state, which lasted for several hours… never had this body, in the ninety-one years it's been on earth, felt such happiness: freedom, absolute power, and no limits (gesture here and there, and everywhere), no limits, no impossibilities, nothing. It was… all other bodies were itself. There was no difference, it was only a play of the consciousness… (gesture like a great Rhythm) moving about. …
You know, there's a considerable increase in the people who want to see me, and in the influences when they see me, the effects when they see me (which don't at all correspond to a will or a consciousness or anything - that no longer exists: it works or it doesn't work), and seen like that, it's: either you hold out and can do the work, or else, too bad. That's how it is, you understand. …
It's really like a GRACE, you know, as if: don't waste time - don't waste time, you must do the work, or else…
But this tremendous Power is especially this, a mercy, a clemency! … NO, there are no words, we have no words to describe that, it's something… Just paying attention and… it's bliss. And I understood (it made me understand certain things), the stories of people who, in the midst of torture, felt bliss - that's how it is. A bliss. (Mother's Agenda, Vol. 10, February 15, 1969)
We must take life as a Grace, otherwise it's impossible to live. …
I am entirely convinced that things are as they must be, and that it's simply the body that lacks suppleness, tranquillity, trust… So I can't even say that things grate, but… You understand, the work consists in changing the conscious base of all the cells - but not all at once! Because that would be impossible; even little by little is very difficult: the moment when the conscious base is changed is… there is almost a sort of panic in the cells, and the impression, "Ooh! What's going to happen?" …There is a moment when there's almost an anguish, you know, you're suspended like that; it may be a few seconds, but those seconds are terrible. …
But more and more - more and more - the body has been learning that what happens (what happens every second) is the best thing that can happen given the general condition. It's entirely convinced of that. And it's content to do like this (gesture of self-abandon) and say, "Let Your Will be done." That's all. If it can do that in a very continuous and peaceful way, then things are fine. It's only when it tries to find out why and how and… then things go wrong. It has to be like this (same gesture of self-abandon): "Let Your Will be done." Then it's all right. It doesn't ask to know, only there's the old habit.
At the critical moment (there are critical moments), at the critical moment, this surrender (it's even more than surrender, it's a complete abdication of everything, of its existence, and everything) is filled with light and force. That's the Response. (February 19, 1969)
There is clearly a work of change of consciousness (Mother touches her body), and it's going very, very fast, so I don't remember the transition, the passages…
It's the sense of the body's ego that has gone away, with a very strange result… While the experience is there, I might just manage to describe it, but… First the sense of limit, that is, of the body existing as a separate thing, has disappeared; for instance, the sensation that "you" knock against "something else" (I don't know how to explain) has completely gone. And it leaves…
There is something existing in a constant, permanent way; it's a sort of STATE of consciousness related to the material world… In the ordinary state, a sensation comes from a precise place in the body, it's noted, recorded somewhere in the brain - now it's no longer like that at all. The sensations… but they're not exactly sensations: it's a certain type of VIBRATION, and it comes from EVERYWHERE, like that (gesture all around); also like this (gesture from the body), but like that, like that…(gesture from every side), everywhere like that. So then the consciousness… I've tried to see where the consciousness is, and it's somewhere above; it's everywhere, diffused absolutely everywhere, but there's still a center of consciousness somewhere above (gesture above the head), as though it were more compact there; otherwise it's everywhere, diffused everywhere, but it's slightly more compact here (same gesture above the head), compact and stable, like that (Mother closes her two fists in an unshakable gesture), and that's what conveys orders to the body (but all those words are idiotic; when I utter them they disgust me). You understand, that's where the relationship with the Supreme Consciousness is established permanently and constantly - I say "Supreme Consciousness," I've adopted these words so as not to make sentences all the time; I might say "the Divine," but the Divine is so totally present everywhere that… It's not the same thing (gesture above); I can't call it "will" because it has none of the characteristics of human will: it's not a will "exerting itself on" something, that's not it, it's… IN ITSELF; it's between vision, decision, will, power, all of it together. I don't know. And much more than that. But that's where the center is, as far as the body and all that's immediately around it is concerned. And that is… Strange, it's extraordinarily imperative and all-powerful, and at the same time it's the Peace ("peace" is a poor little word worth nothing much), it's perfect Peace and Immobility ("immobility" is idiotic - but how are we to speak?!). And that is there constantly (gesture above Mother).
That's what is taking the place of the conscious will as regards moving the body, for its internal functioning and for its action. And when the moment comes (it takes place gradually but there is a "moment") for the old functioning - the ordinary functioning - to be eliminated or to disappear and be replaced by That (gesture above), the result is… (wobbly gesture), I don't know if it's long or brief, but there's just a difficult transition. So then the body is caught between… (here or there, on one spot or another, for one thing or another) between the old habit and the new functioning. There's just a transition of anguish. In most of its parts, the body is conscious of the stupidity of that anguish, but… the function or the part or… is seized with panic. Then it takes a material stillness for order to be restored.
That's a wholly inadequate and stupid description, but I don't know what to do! There are no words. It's an approximation.
And all that takes place within a permanent Consciousness (Mother makes a round gesture), solid, you know, extraordinarily stable! It's everywhere like that. …
And the two things: the true Perception, and a sort of diminished, slowed down memory of the old way; and in that old way there are… all kinds of undesirable but general, universal things, which are hard to change for that reason, because the sort of "formation" now in the making is foreign, so to speak, to the world. (February 26, 1969)
And so it goes, from week to week, throughout the year 1969, and the five hundred pages of her Agenda for that year, with description after description of her experiences of the "new consciousness" and its process of cellular transformation. Until, on November 19, she reaches a definitive realization. And in this commentary, the many attempts she has made throughout the year to express the ever elusive contradiction between that "material stillness" and "Immobility," and its concurrent sense of Absolute Power and Irresistible Action, which was her constant, paradoxical experience, culminate in a final resolution. Almost a year after the beginning of the physical realization of the "new consciousness," she is able to declare the nature and characteristic form of the "supramental consciousness" manifest in the body.
There was a day when many problems came up, following something that took place… then this morning (at the end of the night) I had the experience which was the explanation. And for hours, I lived in an absolutely clear perception (not a thought, a clear perception) of… the why and the how of creation. It was so luminously clear! It was irrefutable. It lasted for at least four or five hours, then it settled; little by little the intensity and clarity of the experience diminished…
But everything had become so limpid! All opposite theories, all that was down below (Mother looks down from above), and all explanations, all that Sri Aurobindo said, certain things too that Theon had said, all that, as a result of the experience, found its own place and was absolutely clear. At the time I could have told you, now it's going to be a bit hard.
You understand, many things Sri Aurobindo had said remained… in spite of all that one has read, all the theories and explanations, something remained (how can I put it?) hard to explain (it's not "explain," that's very small). For instance, suffering and the will to cause suffering, all that side of the Manifestation. There was indeed a sort of foreknowledge of the original identity of hate and love, because they went to the two extremes, but for all the rest, it was difficult. Today it was so luminously simple, that's it, so obvious!
I don't know if you can make out these words. They represented something very precise for me; now it's nothing but words.
Stability and change
Inertia and transformation
Eternity and progress
______
Unity =
It was the vision of the creation: the vision, the understanding, the why, the how, the whither, everything was there, everything together, and clear; clear, clear… I tell you, I was in a golden glory, luminous, dazzling.
I might put it this way (for the convenience of expression, I'll say "the Supreme" and "the creation"): In the Supreme it's a unity that contains all possibilities perfectly united, without differentiation. The creation is, so to speak, the projection of all that makes up that unity, by dividing all opposites, that is to say, by separating (that's what was caught by those who said that creation is separation), by separating: for instance, day and night, white and black, evil and good, and so on (all that is our explanation). All together, all of it together is a perfect unity, immutable and… indissoluble. The creation is the separation of all that "makes up" this unity - we might call it the division of the consciousness - the division of the consciousness, which starts from unity conscious of its unity to arrive at unity conscious of its multiplicity IN UNITY.
So then, this route is what, for us - for the fragments - is expressed as space and time.
And for us as we are, each point of this Consciousness has the possibility of being conscious of itself AND conscious of the original Unity. And that's the work now being accomplished, that is to say, each infinitesimal element of this Consciousness, while retaining this state of consciousness, is now recapturing the total original state of consciousness - the result is the original Consciousness conscious of its Unity AND conscious of the whole play: all the innumerable elements of this Unity. So for us, it gets expressed as the sense of time: going from the Inconscient to this state of consciousness. And the Inconscient is the projection of the primeval Unity (if we may say so - all those words are completely stupid), of the essential unity unconscious of its own Unity - that's the Inconscient. And this Inconscient is growing increasingly conscious in beings who are conscious of their infinitesimal existence and AT THE SAME TIME - through what we call progress or evolution or transformation - who manage to be conscious of the original Unity.
And that, as it was seen, explained everything.
Words are nothing.
Everything, everything, from the most material thing to the most ethereal, EVERYTHING was included in it, clear, clear, clear - a vision.
And evil, what we call "evil," has its INDISPENSABLE place in the whole. But it would no longer be felt as evil the minute one became conscious of that - necessarily. Evil is that infinitesimal element looking on its infinitesimal consciousness; but because consciousness is essentially ONE, it recaptures, regains the Consciousness of Unity - both together. And that's what, THAT IS WHAT has to be realized. It's a marvelous thing. I had the vision: at the time, there was the vision of THAT… And the beginnings (is it "beginnings"?), what they call in English the outskirts, what's the farthest from the central realization, becomes the multiplicity of things, also the multiplicity of sensations, feelings, everything - the multiplicity of consciousness. And that action of separation is what created, what constantly creates the world, and what at the same time creates everything: suffering, happiness, all, all, all that was created, through its - what we might call "diffusion" - but it's absurd, it's not a diffusion: we live in the sense of space, so we say "diffusion" and "concentration," but it's nothing like that. …